Gargoyles: Demona #1 – A VERY Strong Start

Hello there! Padawan J here, the resident Star Wars expert from the ODPH! And this week I am VERY excited to be reviewing the FIRST issue of the new Gargoyles series from Dynamite Comics!

If there is a Hall of Fame of animated villains, than surely Demona from Gargoyles deserves a place among them. A sadistic thorn in the side of our heroes that’s been tormenting them at every step. But just what happened along the way? Series creator Greg Weisman is peeling back the layers on that story, and it should be amazing! So let’s jump into it!

Gargoyles: Demona #1 by Greg Weisman (Writer), Frank Pavr (Artist), Robby Bevard (Colorist), Jeff Eckleberry (Letterer) & Meghan Hetrick (Cover) is a tremendous start to the series, and has me wanting more!

The Story

As you have probably figured out by now, Demona is the main focus of this story! Our story start in 1093, nearly 100 years after Goliath and the rest of his clan have been cursed and turned to stone. And the issue opens up with a great backstory for two characters. One is clearly Demonas’ backstory, and the other is someone else.

Demona has traveled to Northumbria, an early medieval kingdom in England in what’s now Northern England and Southern Scotland. It appears she’s looking to simply find a place to live, but unfortunately her past isn’t far behind her.

The story is a great one, and Greg Weisman does a tremendous job peeling back the layers on just what makes Demona such a bitter character by the time we see her in 1994. It honestly felt like a episode that might have been lost and should have aired as an addition to the premiere.

I really liked how the story flipped between Demona and the humans, and seeing them eventually come crashing together was great to read. I’m extremely interested to see how this plays out over the next few issues because it’s sure to be explosive!

The Artwork

Frank Pavr & Robby Bevard are absolutely fantastic in this issue, and the exceeded my expectations. I have high expectations when it comes to Gargoyles. I’ve been a fan since it was on tv in the 90s, and I can confidently say Pavr & Bevard nailed it.

Everything about this issue harkens back to the look and feel of those early episodes that are so classic & familiar. The lines in the panels are so distinct and vibrant, that it pops off the page like nothing else I’ve ever seen.

FINAL POINT: This is a series you’re NOT going to want to miss. It’s an incredibly strong start to what should be a fantastic series. If you haven’t kept up with the other series that have come out, that’s fine! This series is very accessible no matter what level of fan you are. This is a series you should NOT be sleeping on, and should add to your pull list (if it isn’t there already)!

Overall Grade: 10/10

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